Novelty game



May 29, 1962 A. M. ZALKIND NOVELTY GAME Filed Dec. 22. 1959 This invention relates to games, and more particularly to a novelty game wherein the game is played on a timed basis.

It is an object of the invention to provide a game which may be played either by a single player or by several players.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a game which afrords considerable amusement, and having aspects of educational value, particularly along manipulative lines.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a game wherein the same base or major component can be used for playing several different games.

Other objects and features of my invention will be apparent from the description to follow.

Briefly, the novelty game herein disclosed comprises a base to which is afiixed a suction cup by means of a spring. The suction cup can be set so as to adhere to a portion of the base, stressing the spring. The spring exerts a force timed to pull the suction cup out of adherence. When the spring overcomes such adherence, the suction cup is suddenly released and effects tilting of the base. Thus, by having a level portion of the base useable on which to play a game of any particular kind, for example, tic-tac-toe, the players must make their moves with a certain amount of rapidity. In this instance, the players place pegs on squares drawn on the base to indicate their moves. When the base is upset by release of the suction cup, the pegs are knocked off the base. Thus, the player who is in a thought process or in the motion of placing a peg at the instant the base upsets, loses. Of course, if a game has been completed prior to upsetting of the base, a new game is started, and thus the play continues until the suction cup releases in the midst of a game. Inasmuch as suction cups are notoriously unreliable insofar as the length of time that they will hold is concerned, considerable hilarity is afforded by the inability of the players to guess or judge just when the suction cup will release. Thus, it is possible for one player to deliberately stall, relying on his judgment as to when the cup will release, and then place a peg just before he thinks the release time is at hand. As likely as not, such player is badly fooled, since I have found from experience that the cup will frequently release while the player is stalling in an attempt to outwit his opponent.

Various sets of rules to suit various games may be used, as will be apparent from the above description. Also, various types of games using simple game pieces in conjunction with the base, which is the major component, are possible.

A detailed description of the invention will now be given in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the game.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section through 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section through 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows the peg arrangement of another type of game.

FIG. 5 is a perspective showing another game, preferably for self-play by small children.

FIG. 6 shows a modified construction.

FIG. 7 shows a further modified construction.

Referring now to the drawing, my game comprises a channel-like base 10 having a normally horizontal platform or playing panel 13 and resting on vertical side flanges 16. The side flanges are fashioned with slanting edges 19 at one end so that the base can flip in the direction of the arrow A as shown on FIG. 2. Secured to the under-side of the platform 13 is a leaf spring 23 secured as by a rivet, welding, or the like, at the forward point 26. The free end of the leaf spring is suitably fastened to a suction cup 30 having a button 30a. The undersurface of platform 13 adjacent the suction cup is suitably smooth or has a piece of plastic 31 cemented thereto so that the suction cup 30 can adhere thereto against the bending stress in spring 23 when the cup is pressed against the underside of the platform. The strength of spring 23 is such that it can break adherence of the suction cup so as to pull it away from the underside of the platform, causing it to move clockwise in the direction of the arrow B to upset game elements resting on the platform. Thus, the button 30a striking a table top T or any other surface on which the game rests upsets base 10 in the direction of arrow A, the base fulcruming around the point 33 which joints the horizontal edges of the flanges with the sloping edges 19. Preferably, the suction cup is of the type having an integral rubber button 30a which serves as a cushion so as not to mar a table surface. It is conventional to mold rubber suction cups with such a button spaced from the cup body so that the constricted portion between the button and the body can be gripped in an aperture of an attaching element for securing the cup.

I have found it desirable, in some instances where a very strong spring is used, to dispose a spanner rod 40 transversely between the flanges 16. Thus, the spring 23 will not swing its full are, but will be stopped by rod 40. However, the spring will pivot a sufficient distance to permit button 39a to strike table top T to upset the base. The rod 44) may be merely a heavy wire bent at its ends as shown, so as to be secured in suitable apertures in the flanges 16. Thus, the force with which the base will upset or flip over can be controlled by judicious placement of rod 4-0, depending on the size of the suction cup and the strength of the spring, and the force may be adjusted by a stepped slot 42 in each flange for supporting the ends of the rod.

Comparing FIG. 1 with FIG. 4, certain pegs 50 will be noted as being carried on the base, but in different arrangements. These pegs may be of wood or other material, solid or hollow, and of any shape, form, or configuration, preferably being provided in two sets of different color. Thus, in FIG. 1, it will be noted that three pegs are distributed in a tic-tac-toe arrangement, wherein platform 13 is provided with lines 53 to mark of a tietac-toe game of nine boxes. It will be understood that each player is provided with a suitable number, say, four pegs, all of the same color, and that each player in turn places a peg in a box to thus play tic-tac-toe. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, a column is presumably being formed by the players. The first player, who has the red pegs, places a peg generally centrally of the platform. The next player places a blue peg thereon, and so on, thus building a column, each player being provided with perhaps as many as a half a dozen pegs. In either instance the game ends when the platform upsets. In the column game, assuming the pegs to be about one and a half inches high and one-half or five-eighths inch in diameter, after the fourth or fifth peg has been placed on the column, considerable balancing skill is required to continue to build the column. When the suction cup releases, of course, the column crashes.

While it would normally be expected that some reasonable degree of predictability as to when the suction cup will release can be achieved by how hard the cup is squeezed against the undersurface of the platform, I have found that, as a matter of practical experience, while there is correlation between quick release if the cup is very lightly pressed, and long-time holding if the cup is very heavily pressed, pressure squeezing the cup /3 to /3 fiat effects an absolutely unpredictable timing condition. Of course much depends on the strength of the spring, size of the cup, and the condition of smoothness of the undersurface of the platform. There is considerable room for experimentation by the players in attempting to get some timing control, depending on pressure used, and this, of course, adds to the fun.

As has heretofore been indicated, any suitable set of rules may be applied. One phase of such rules being that the player whose turn it is to go first has the privilege of setting the suction cup. Another phase of such rules might be that the players alternate in first turns. In any event, sets of rules of a very simple nature, and obvious from the above description of the game, may be formulated.

In FIG. 5 the same base component is shown as heretofore described. However, in this instance, a series of elongated blocks 55 which may be of wood or plastic are shown as stacked criss-cross. The concept of this form of the game is to enable small children to see how tall a tower of blocks they can build before the suction cup releases. Upon suction cup release, the blocks slide onto the table top. Of course, various other shapes and configurations of blocks may be used, or cards for building a card house could be substituted for the blocks.

Referring now to FIG. 6 a somewhat different base structure 60 is shown consisting of a single piece of metal or plastic having the upper platform or playing panel 63 and joined by a flexible bend 66 to a bottom panel 69. The bottom panel has secured thereto a suction cup 72 as by an adjustable, threaded sleeve 75 carried on a bolt 78 suitably secured in an upright position to panel 69. A threaded bolt 82 has a nut 85 and is likewise secured to panel 69, a coil spring 87 being loosely guided by the bolt and engageable with the bottom of panel 63. Spring 87 rests on nut 85. Thus, although bend 66 may be sufficient to pull panel 63 out of adherence with cup 72, spring 87 augments the pull of bend 66, the spring being compressed as panel 63 is pushed down until it engages the top of bolt 82, in level position. The degree of compression of the spring 87 is adjust-able by means of nut 85, while the degree of flattening of cup 72 is adjustable by sleeve 75 to vary the holding power of the cup.

A supplemental spring such as the leaf spring 80 in FIG. 7 may be utilized. Thus, in FIG. 7 the supplemental spring 80 is curved around the bend 83 and locked in place by abutting struck-in tongues 86 of the platform 89 and the base 92, A pin 94 secured to base 92 serves as a limit stop for platform 89.

From the above description, it is apparent that I have provided a unique type of game of considerable vers tility in that the major component may be used with a plurality of cheap and simple members such as pegs, blocks, cards, etc., for affording amusement, manipulative exercise, and fun. Further, a person may play with the game by himself, for example to see how tall a column or structure he can make before the suction cup releases, or the game can be played by two or more people. For example, as mentioned heretofore, if three sets of pegs are provided, each set being of a different color, and each player having a set of a color, then three people can play. Likewise, any number of people can play depending upon the number of sets of different color pegs provided.

Having thus described my invention, I am aware that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and, accordingly, I do not seek to be limited to the precise illustrations herein given except as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A game comprising a combination, a platform means, actuating means for moving said platform to upset game elements rested thereon, said latter means having a timing element to automatically effect movement of said platform, a plurality of playing elements settable on said platform for playing a game, whereby when said actuating means becomes operative said platform is moved to upset said playing elements, said playing elements being elongated flat bottom pegs balanceable one on the other in a column, and being of such quantity and construction as to require a relatively high degree of skill to form said column prior to operation of said actuating means as controlled by said timing element.

2. A game comprising a body member, a resilient means connected to said body member, said body member having a platform adapted to be disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, said resilient means being disposed to effect a tilting of said platform, a timing element comprising a suction cup for maintaining said resilient means in stressed condition when said suction cup adheres to a portion of said body member, whereby when said suction cup releases, said resilient means effects said tilting of said platform, and a plurality of playing pieces settable on said platform for playing a game while said platform is in substantially horizontal position, said pieces being dumped by tilting of said platform when said suction cup releases, said playing elements being elongated fiat bottom pegs balanceable one on the other in a column, and being of such quantity and construction as to require a relatively high degree of skill to form said column prior to operation of said actuating means as controlled by said timing element.

3. A game comprising in combination, a platform, actuating means for moving said platform to upset game elements rested thereon, said latter means having a timing element to automatically effect movement of said platform at an unpredictable time, a plurality of playing elements settable in plurality on said platform for playing a skill game thereon, said platform being large enough to accommodate said plurality of playing elements simul' taneously, whereby when said actuating means becomes operative said platform is moved to upset said playing elements, said platform comprising a substantially horizontal panel in normal position prior to operation of said actuating means, said panel being marked off for game playing wherein said playing pieces may be set within the confines of the markings of said panel.

4. A game comprising a body member, a resilient means connected to said body member, said body member having a platform adapted to be disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, said resilient means being disposed to effect a tilting of said platform, means comprising a suction cup for maintaining said resilient means in stressed condition when said suction cup adheres to a portion of said body member, whereby when said suction cup releases, said resilient means effects said tilting of said platform, and a plurality of playing pieces settable on said platform and so constructed as to be disposed either side by side or superimposed on each other for playing a game while said platform is in substantially horizontal position, said pieces being dumped by tilting of said platform when said suction cup releases, said platform comprising a substantially horizontal panel in normal position prior to operation of said resilient means.

5. A game comprising in combination, a platform means, actuating means for moving said platform to upset game elements rested thereon, said latter means having a timing element to automatically effect movement of said platform at an unpredictable time, a plurality of playing elements settable on said platform for playing a game, whereby when said actuating means becomes operative said platform is moved to upset said playing elements, said playing elements being shaped so as to be disposed one on top of the other in a balanced column, by players alternately setting respective pieces one on the other, with the exercise of a high degree of skill.

6. A game comprising a body member, a resilient means connected to said body member, said body memher having a platform adapted to be disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, said resilient means being disposed to effect a tilting of said platform at an unpredictiable time, means comprising a suction cup for maintaining said resilient means in stressed condition when said suction cup adheres to a portion of said body member, whereby when said suction cup releases, said resilient means effects said tilting of said platform, and a plurality of playing pieces settable on said platform for playing a game while said platform is in substantially horizontal position, said pieces being dumped by tilting of said platform when said suction cup releases, said playing elements being shaped so as to be disposed one on top of the other in a balanced column, by players alternately setting respective pieces one on the other, said playing pieces being of such quantity and construction as to require a relatively high degree of skill to form said column prior to operation of said resilient means as controlled by said suction cup.

7. In a game device, a body member comprising a substantially channel-shaped open ended element having side flanges and a substantially horizontal platform therebetween, a leaf spring attached to said platform and disposed intermediate said flanges below said platform, a suction cup carried by said leaf spring and engageable with the underside of said platform for adherence thereto to maintain said leaf spring in stressed condition, said leaf spring and said suction cup comprising a trip means for tilting said platform whereby when said suction cup loses adherence a portion of said trip means snaps beyond the confines of said body downwardly to strike a supporting surface to effect tilting of said body, said side flanges having lower edges on which said body member rests and said lower edges having sloped edges extending therefrom to a juncture with said platform so as to foreshorten said lower edges in length of contiguity with a table support to facilitate tilting of said platform when said suction cup loses adherence.

8. In a device as set forth in claim 4, said resilient means and said suction cup constituting a trip means and a motion limiting means secured to said body member and engageable by said trip means to limit the extent of movement thereof after said suction cup releases.

9. In a device as set forth in claim 4, said body member having a ground support panel, said panels being joined by a resilient bend to effect said resilient means.

10. In a device as set forth in claim 3, said platform having a ground support panel, said panels being joined by a resilient bend to effect said actuating means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 163,696 Saiford May 25, 1875 221,021 Beck Oct. 28, 1879 2,181,113 Adams Nov. 28, 1939 2,596,259 Lewis May 13, 1952 2,664,077 Moore Dec. 29, 1953 2,885,824 Lemelson May 12, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 102,978 Austria Apr. 10, 1926 

